Filing appliance.



H. J. HICK. FILING APPLIANCE.

1,160,407. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETS SHEET H. I HICK.

FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8, 1912.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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H. I. HICK.

FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8.1912. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

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pnrrnn srarnis m n a orrron HARRY LI. n ck, or LLIANCE; o Io, nssfenoa, BY nnsnn ssrsmvmnrs, To Inn MQCASKEY nncrs rnn COMPANY, (INCORPORATED IN 1e14, or ALLIANCE, 0310, A

CORPORATION "or OHIO.

FILING APPLIANCE.

Application filedFebruary 8, 1912. Serial No. 676,352.

I '0 all whom it may cmwern. Be it known that I, HARRY J Then, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alliance, in the county of Stark, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating. torFiling Appliances, of which the following is a specifi cation. i This invention relates to filing appliances adapted to receive andiremovably hold papers, slips, cards or memoranda forinspection, classification and keeping purposes.

For the purpose of illustration, I have, in the accompanying drawings, shown and herein described one form of filing appliance embodying my invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a filing appliance embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, part of thecasing being broken away. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing part of the holders in a reclined position. Fig. 4: is a fragmentary view illustrating the operationof the holders. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the counterbalancing member. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating details of construction. y

In the drawings, 1 indicates a suitable casing or 'housinghaving a base or platform 1 and a back or rear wall 1 rising vertically from said base. Preferably, the forward portion of the platform l -consists of a glass plate 1, below which may be mounted a suitable index 2. 'The index 2 is mounted in a frameQ, which may be slidably supported on guides 1 that are fixed to theinner walls of the casing. I i i 3 indicates a series of holders, arranged to be assembled face to face and adapted to hold or support papers, slips and the like. The series of holders 3 comprises a front holder 3, a rear holder 3 and intermediate holders 3. Each of said holders may consist of a sheet metalback 3 that is preferably extended along its lower edge and bent on longitudinallines to form a hingebar 3".

3 indicates pl ates extending along the op posite sides of each back 3 These plates form side walls for the holders and also spacing devices between them, thereby determining the amount of space on either side of each back 3 that may be utilized for the papers or slips to be filed. As the holders are preferably of uniform size, it will be understood that the longitudinal edges of cent back 3 into pockets.

the side plates 3 of one holder engage the longitudinal edges of the adjoining holders. The upper end of, each holder 3 may be provided with incline plates 3 and carry suitableindexes 3. The index plates 3. may be cut away, as shown at 3 to expose the index 3 on the plate ofthe next rearward holder. r

A indicates a series of strips. extending from the hingev edge of each holder. to. its free edge, and serving to divide the adja- The strips also operate to, strengthen the back intermediate betweenits edges. As it is usual in apparatus of this character to provide strips l on both sides of. each back and to alinethe strips on one back with the strips on adjoining backs, it will be understood that they also serve to space the backs from, each other.

5 indicates suitable paper or slip supporting devices mounted on the opposite faces of each back3. Each of these devices preferably comprises a wire clip, having spring coils 5 Theopposite ends of. the wires may be "secured to the adjacent backB 5 indicates a plate serving to tie the legs of the clip together. The plate 5 alsoserves as a support for an eye signal, such as a number, letter, or heading.

' 6 indicates hinge or pivot connections between the hinge bars. 3 These connections operate to connect the holders together and to permit them to be operated or swung rela tively to each other. The connectionsfi also operate when one or more of the holders are reclined to move the rearward holders upwardly and their lower or hinged ends forwardly. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2,,the holders 3 are normally arranged in a ve'rti cal position and swing forwardly'and downwardly to a substantially horizontal 'posi-. tion, and vice versa. The pivot connections 6 may comprise-aseries of plates 6 pressed or bent to fit snugly around the hinge bars 3*, the opposite. free ends of each plate ;be ing riveted to the adjacent back 3?. Asindicated at .6", each plate (Stis prfovidedwi-th a hinge loop at either lowerzedge. 3 511 a:

.The, front holder." 3 and; each alternate holder is 1 preferably provided with two hinge plates" spaced 1 from" each. other, while theremainingkalternate holders are each provided .with i one 1 hinge plate that .is adapted to fit. between zandhaifie'lits loops, 6??

aline with the loops6 of adjacent plates. A pivot pin 6" extending through each alined .set of loops serves tocompletevthe pivotal connections 6 between the holders.

As shown in the drawings 1 prefer to pr0-.

It serves as a'guide or sliding abutment for the upper or free edge of the rear holder 3".in itsup and down movementsdue to the operation of the holders forward thereof. At its free end, the bar 7 preferably carries a latch 7 which is adapted to be engaged by the freeend of the holder 3 and prevent it from being reclined. The .bar 7 is preferably pivoted to the back 1", whereby it may fall by gravity into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 when the holders 3 are in nor mal osition'. In this latter position of the barthe latch 'TPthereof will lie in front of the free edge of the holder 3 The effect of this arrangement will be to lock thesaid holder and all the remaining holders against operation. The front holder 3 may be released by pressing the bar .7 slightly upward. If now the front holder is reclined it will elevate all the remaining holders]. The elevation of'the rearholder will thus raise the bar 7 and move its latch 7 above the free edgesof those holders now in vertical position.. ,1. W

The bar 7 will be maintained in itselevated position as long as the front holder is reclined and will operate as guide and paralleling means for the holders as they are operated. v

8 indicates means for supporting the series of holders?) in a manner which permits one or more of them to act as a counterbalancefor the remaining holders; the advantages of' this construction being to fa-.

' cilitate theready operation of the holders and to reduce the manual force or labor required to manipulate them.

Thesupporting means 8 preferably com- 7 rise a rocker or lever 8 thefulcrum of which is preferably nearer to its front end than to the rear end thereof. 7

' 8 '8 indicate apair of standards which are preferably integral turned-up members of-a plate 8, the latter being fixed by suitable screws to the base '1.

8?, 8 indicate trunnions which loosely'fit within suitable bearings formed in thestandards 8 and form the fulcrum for the rocker 8 At its front end, the bar 8 is provided with two spaced vertical walls 8 8 which form between them arecess S to receive a pivot pin 6 extending through the hinge loops6 of the hinge plate 6 at the front; edge ofthe holder 3*. Therecess 8 and p'i'ng6 form a pivotal connection between the rocker and the end holder, 3 at the front of the series, and about which the,

holder 3 swings. This connection also permits readydetachment of the series of holders 3 from'the rocker 8 andfrom within the casing l for storage in'a safe place. V

.The hinge bar 3 for the front holder-3 is formed with openings 3 which receive the free ends of the walls 8 when the said holder' 'is in either a normal or a reclined position a V Asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, the series of holders 3 being connected, tothefront end of the. rocker 8, the rear end of the latter will be forced upwardly into engagement with the hinged ends of the holders 3, while therear holder 3 will rest at its free end'against the back 1,or a yielding device l which may be carried. thereby. The front holder 3* being pivotally connected to the front end of the rocker 8 the hinged edges of the holders 3 and 3 will slide forward'and rearward onthe rear end of the rocker 8, as the holders are individually or' collectively operated in one direction or. the other. The arrangement and construction is preferably such that when the holders are in normal position comparas tively little counterbalancing effect is produced; but, as soon as the front holder 3 is operated forwardly, the intermediate holders will be elevated so that the opposite end holders will rest upon and be supported by the opposite ends of the'lever 8. Such operation will move the hinged edges of the holders forwardly and thus shift their weight relative to the fulcrum of the supporting lever. As each ;succeedingholder is swung forwardly, the weight on the-front end of the rocker will be increased and thus resultin increasing-the counterbalancing effect on the rearward holders.

'From the drawings and foregoing description, it will be understood that therear holder?) moves'or slides forwardly and rearwardly on the rear arm of the lever rel ative to its fulcrum during the operation of the holders from one. position to the other-and back again. Thus the distance between the lever fulcrum and the point of contact with the rear holder 3", which constitutes the throw of the lever, is shortened each time a holder is operated from the; vertical to the horizo-ntalposition and increased when the holder or holders are returned. As the weight on the front end ofthe lever in creases and decreases materially as the hold ers are operated forwardly and rearwardly, the lengthening and shortening of the throw of the lever has the effect of equalizing the AMAIVAQ counter-balancing influence at all times.

Preferably the lever is of a length less than the depth ,of the series of holders.- The result of this construction is that the point rear holder 3 past the rear end of the lever, so that the throw of the lever will not be decreased until the number of holders in the upright position has beenconsiderably less ened.

As the hinged ends of the holders 3 move upwardly and downwardly as well as forwardly and rearwardly during the operation of the holders, it will be understood that if the fulcrum for the rocker were ar-- ranged midway between its ends considerable space would be required to accommodate and permit the full swing of the opposite ends of the rocker. This disadvantage is overcome by positioning the. fulcrum for the rocker near one end thereof, preferably the front end, so that the rear end of the lever will have a greater throw than its front end. By this construction it will be seen that during the operation of the holders the movements of the opposite ends of the rocker will be in proportion to the relative position of its fulcrum, and that both ends of the rocker will cooperate to support the holders, permit forward and rearward, and upward and downward relative movements of the rear holder and intermediate holders during their operation and also permit certain holders of said series to counterbalance certain other holders thereof.

As will be understood in reclining each holder all the remaining holders mustbe elevated. This operation requires the eX- penditure of considerable energy, especially when the holders are weighted down with papers or slips as the result of a large number of sales or charges. But by the employment of my device the holders are caused to equalize or counterbalance each other, thus reducing the labor to operate them and permitting quicker manipulation of the holders.

While the construction is such as to primarily counterbalance the rearward holders, it will of course be seen that the rearward holders counterbalance the forward holders so that the power required to return the holders to normal position is reduced. My

construction has the further advantage of reducing the stresses on the pivot connections 6, thus obviating breakage, wear and disalinement thereof.

The movement of the lever is preferably arrested after the operation of a predetermined number of holders from the vertical position to the horizontal position by the engagement of its front end with the base 1, as shown in Fig. 3, it requiring but little effort to operate the remaining upright holders.

To those skilled in the art of making filing appliances of the class described, many alterations in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of my invention will suggest themselves, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

,My disclosures and the description herein permitting a portion of said holders to coun-' terbalance the other portion thereof, the fulcrum for said rocker being nearer one end thereof than its other end.

The combination of supporting means, a series of connected-together holders, and a rocker on said supporting means for movably supporting the series of holders and permitting a portion of said holders to counterbalance the other portion thereof, the front end holder being pivotally connected to the rocker on one side of its pivot, the rear end holder having slidingengagement with the rocker on the opposite side of its pivot.

3. The combination of supporting means, a series of geared-together holders, and a rocker for supporting the opposite end holders ofthe series of holders and permitting a part of said holders to counterbalance the remaining part, the fulcrum for said lever being nearer its front end than its rear end;

i. A filing appliance including a support, a rocker arm mounted on said support, and a plurality of holders hinged together at their lower ends normally mounted in uprightposition on said arm, the foremost holder being pivoted on one end of said arm and the rearmost holder being slidably mounted onthe other end of said arm to permit a portion of said holders to counterbalance the other portion thereof.

5. A filing appliance including a support, a rocker arm mounted on said support, and a plurality of holders hinged together at their lower ends and normally mounted in upright position on said arm, the fulcrum for said arm beingnearer one end thereof than the other to counterbalance the leaves as they are operated from upright to re clined position, and vice versa.

6. A filing appliance including a support, a rocker arm mounted on said support having its fulcrum nearer one end thereof than the other, a plurality of holders hinged together at their lower ends normally mounted in upright position on said arm, the foremost holder being pivoted on the end of said arm nearest its fulcrum and the rearmost holder being slidably mounted on the other end of said arm, whereby a portion of said holders may be counterbalanced by the other portion thereof.

7. A filing appliance including a support, a rocker arm mounted on said support having its fulcrum nearer one end thereof than the other, a plurality of holders hinged to gether at their lower ends normally mountrearmost holder in its up and down move- Washington, D. G.

ed inupright position onsaid arm, the fore- Inents. I 10 most holder being pivoted on the end of said In testimony whereof I aifis my signature, arm nearest its fulcrum and the rearmost in the presence oftwo Witnesses e I 5 holder being slidably mounted on the other HARRY J. HICK.

end of said arm whereby a portion of said Witnesses: i

' holders may be counterbalanced by the other F. C. MIAN,

portion thereofiand means for guiding the HENRY F. PoLLooK. x Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

